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What we know
- TENSIONS REACH NEW HEIGHTS: Israel launched strikes on Iran early Friday local time, a dramatic escalation of long-running tensions between the two countries. Iran then launched retaliatory strikes, saying hundreds of missiles were fired in Israel. The U.S. assisted Israel in shooting down Iranian missiles, U.S. officials said. Iran fired another wave of strikes early Saturday local time.
- NUCLEAR PROGRAM TARGETED: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the operation targeted Iran’s nuclear program and “will continue for as many days as it takes to remove this threat.” Explosions continue to rock Tehran and other sites in Iran.
- IRAN RETALIATES: In a televised address, Iran’s president Masoud Pezeshkian promised a “powerful response.” The IDF confirmed Iran was launching missiles into the country as Netanyahu warned Israelis to brace for retaliation. Explosions were reported in Tel Aviv and Ramle.
- LEADERS AND CIVILIANS KILLED: In a significant blow to Iran’s army, its top military official, Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, was killed along with Hossein Salami, the commander in chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. Nearly 80 people were killed and a hundred were injured in Tehran, according to Iranian media.
- STATUS OF U.S.-IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL: In a phone call with NBC News, President Donald Trump said Iran had missed an opportunity to make a deal. “Now, they may have another opportunity. We’ll see.” Iranian State TV reported that Iran had pulled out from the next round of talks.
Iran attacks will spread to U.S. bases in region
Iranian attacks will spread across "all occupied lands" and American bases in the region, according to Farsnews, an Iranian news agency affiliated to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp.
It said the attacks would extend over the next few days, and "will be regretful and painful for the aggressors."
Israel attacked Tehran's Mehrabad airport overnight
Israel launched an overnight strike on Tehran's Mehrabad airport, targeting a hangar housing fighting jets, according to Iran's state media.
The report said a fighter jet base had been hit, but that the runway and main buildings were still intact.
Iran strikes kill 3 in Israel
Iran's retaliatory strikes on Israel have killed at least three people from Friday into Saturday morning, according to the Associated Press.
The news agency said two of the victims were killed by strikes near homes in the city of Rishon in central Israel, citing the nation's Magen David Adom emergency services.
Iran’s U.N. ambassador said 78 people were killed and more than 320 wounded by Israeli strikes.
U.S. ambassador to Israel Huckabee said he had to shelter 5 times
The United States’ ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said this morning local time that he has had to shelter five times overnight as Iran has launched missiles at Israel in response to Israel’s attack on the country.
“Been rough nite in Israel. Had to head to shelter 5 times during the nite. It’s now Shabbat here. Should be quiet. Probably won’t be. Entire nation under orders to stay near shelter,” Huckabee wrote on X.
Israel ambassador to U.N.: ‘Israel did not act recklessly’
Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon told the international body Friday that “‘Israel did not act recklessly” and that it waited to give diplomacy a chance to work over Iran’s nuclear program
“We waited for diplomacy to work. We gave the international community time. We watched negotiations stretch on as Iran made false concessions or refused the most fundamental conditions,” Danon said.
“All the while, Iran continued to build towards the unthinkable,” he said. “Last night, the wait ended.”
Danon told the U.N. that Israeli strikes targeted Iran’s surface-to-surface missile array. He said that “dozens of launchers, missile storage facilities and additional military sites were destroyed.”
He also said that Israel struck the Natanz nuclear facility, which he called “the core of the nuclear program” and a uranium-enrichment facility.
“This facility was operating at a military-grade capacity,” said.
21 reported injured, one critically, in rocket strike in Israel
A rocket strike in Israel has injured 21 people, one of whom was in critical condition and several others in serious condition, the Israeli paramedic organization Magen David Adom said. The explosion was in Rishon Lezion.
"Update to rocket strike site in Coastal plain: MDA EMTs and paramedics treating and evacuating 21 patients, one in critical condition, several seriously injured and others in mild to moderate condition," it said on X.
Initially, 13 had been reported injured while searches were ongoing, and at that time a post on X by Magen David Adom showed showed a collapsed building and other damage. The number of injured was later updated to 21.
UN secretary-general says 'enough escalation'
UN Secretary-General António Guterres today again called for an end to the escalation after Israel struck Iran with airstrikes and Iran responded with barrages of missiles.
"Enough escalation. Time to stop," he wrote on X. "Peace and diplomacy must prevail."
IDF warns of more incoming Iranian missiles
Israel's military said that more missiles are incoming from Iran.
"A short while ago, sirens sounded in several areas across Israel following the identification of missiles from Iran toward the State of Israel," the IDF said. "The public is asked to follow the instructions of the Home Front Command.
"At this time, the IAF is operating to intercept and strike where necessary to eliminate the threat," it said, referring to the Israeli Air Force.
"The defense is not hermetic, therefore, it is essential to continue following the instructions of the Home Front Command," the IDF said.
Light injuries reported in Tel Aviv after latest strike
Ichilov hospital in Tel Aviv said it has treated seven people hurt by the second Iranian barrage; six had light injuries and the seventh was moderately wounded.
AP journalists in Tel Aviv could see what appeared to be at least two Iranian missiles hit the ground, but there was no immediate word of casualties in those impacts.
Explosions heard in Tehran area
Explosions have been heard in Hakimieh area in east Tehran.
Iranian state media Tasnim is also reporting explosions in in the Pirouzi area in southeast Tehran. The headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is in Pirouzi.
Tasnim reported that smoken was visible at 4:15 a.m. Saturday local time.
